Still in School
A strong faith and a love for education keep Cheryl Capps in school.
Words by Micah Harrison | Images by Al Blanton
Some might be surprised to learn that, after earning three degrees and retiring twice, Cheryl Capps is still going to school.
Capps, who grew up in the Burnwell community, graduated from Dora High School in 1975. Choosing a career path after high school was easy for her. "I knew from the time I was eight years old I was going to be a teacher," she says. "That's all I ever wanted to be."
She enrolled at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and completed her bachelor's degree in elementary education three years later.
With her degree in hand, Capps started as a sixth-grade teacher at T. W. Martin School. After a brief time there, she accepted a position at T. S. Boyd School, where she stayed until 1988. Then, she moved to Brookville Elementary School to teach fifth and sixth grade. After seven years, she became the assistant principal at John E. Bryan Elementary in Morris, Ala. Two years later, she returned to Brookville as principal. During this time, Capps worked closely with the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) to improve the school's reading performance. In 2002, ARI's administrator contacted her about an open position. After an interview, Capps was hired. She spent three years coordinating with schools and then moved into an administrative role for another three years.
When the ARI director retired, Capps was set to move up the administrative ladder. However, the week before her promotion, her pastor, Toby Morgan from Sumiton Church of God, asked to meet with her. During their conversation, he offered her the principal position at Sumiton Christian School.
After prayerful consideration, Capps accepted the role. She and her husband, Bruce, had moved to Shelby County to be closer to work, but they were able to return home. On their way to church that Sunday, Capps recalls, "Bruce looked at me and said, 'We're going home, aren't we?"
It was a happy move for them, allowing Cheryl to be closer to her aging mother and more involved in church. "We're Walker County born and bred, so we were glad to be home," she says.
Capps' last day at ARI was March 31, 2008. After a few hours of retirement, she started as principal at Sumiton Christian on April 1, 2008. After 30 years in public education, Capps adjusted quickly to the private Christian school.
"Sumiton Christian is a lot like the schools I grew up in," she says. "The beauty of Sumiton Christian is you can share your faith openly. I had friends in Jefferson County who got in trouble for sharing their faith... that's not something we have to worry about here."
Along with traditional academics, students are taught Bible classes, with scripture woven into lessons. Every Wednesday, students and staff gather for chapel. "Chapel is very uplifting," Capps says.
"The fact that we get to take time during the week to worship God is a blessing."
After 12 years at Sumiton Christian, Capps retired in 2020. But retirement didn't last long. In 2022, she began working for Kids First Education as a mentor for principals, visiting schools and leading professional development. Not long after, current Sumiton Church of God pastor Harv Turner asked her to return to Sumiton Christian as principal. In the summer of 2023, she reassumed her role and is now in her second year back at the school.
Capps isn't sure how long she will stay in the position. "That's just something we'll have to pray about," she says. For now, Sumiton Christian students and parents can feel confident knowing that an experienced, faith-driven principal is leading the school. 78